


How could he do this?

by SassyCassie1401



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-03
Updated: 2014-12-08
Packaged: 2018-02-24 01:02:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 14,400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2562338
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SassyCassie1401/pseuds/SassyCassie1401
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>May stopped talking to her ex husband many years ago and yet no one knows why. Here is walking through the doors of shield as  though he owns the place and May is not happy but is the plan for her ?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

May had just left Phil's office after putting Phil down to sleep, he had over an hour of carving on the wall, which by the end, had prolonged the craving but left him exhausted. She walked out to get some fresh air before she went to start her tai chi routine, warranted she usually did it at 5am, but this has left her wired and she knew that sleep would out run her, so she knew not to try.

There stood a blast from the past that she had forgotten for a reason, there stood before her was her ex-husband.

May pulled him into the dark recesses of the building away from the places she knew were covered by the cameras. She knew that if he tried anything she would smack his teeth down his throat and send him out in a body bag.

"What the hell are you doing here?" The venom in May's voice could have melted titanium; for once the man in front of her didn't flinch.

"Awww babe, why are you talking like that? You loved me once, remember? Or was that before Phil came along?"

‘Strike one’, May thought, cause she knew he would go to three. He always did, even after Bahrain, when she was at her lowest he still went for the low blows.

"Phil asked for my help, something about further Intel that he needed and he thought that I could be the man to provide it. Whether the Intel was about you or not I can’t say, but I wouldn't mind telling him a thing or two about you..."

‘Strike two’, "Let me tell you this, if you think going for a third strike, I will end you. I won’t bother with dumping your ass in a body bag. You tried to put me in one after I got back from Bahrain and you failed! Suddenly, I didn't want stay married to you, I wonder why that could be?"

He walked past May with an exaggerated swagger as he entered the building looking for Phil, knowing it will infuriate May by deliberately goading her into a fight but he knew it would take a lot more than that to get under her skin.

May was desperately thinking what could he provide that Phil would ever need? She was his partner and had been for many years, before Bahrain had happened and yet he had called him in. Why? What was the sneaky son of a bitch up to? She didn’t know yet, but if she had to beat his ass into the ground with her boots, she’ll do it and find out.

Cogs turning at a furious pace in her mind as she set off inside the building and straight for the gym, if she didn’t release some tension before he came back, she would kick the living daily lights out of him and she didn’t need an excuse, just a look will do and with the mood she was in, he wouldn’t even get that.

She started on the punch bag, just jabbing with no rhythm other than to release the pent up frustration coursing its way through her body. 

After she felt the heat and the lactic acid burning her muscles she started a one two jab, moving her feet, ducking and diving, creating a methodical rhythm and relaxing her mind. 

This was what relaxed her other than her tai chi, creating the flow and releasing the negativity allowing her to carry on and face the world. 

This carried on for thirty minutes, the sweat layering her body and her hair sticking to her head as she concentrated on blocking the world out.

Soon she heard a smash, all rhythm aside she raced up the stairs to the source of the commotion and came in to find Phil sat behind his desk, there was a statue in pieces beside her ex-husband, who stood their motionless until his eyes landed on her. 

His faced morphed into the face she knew so well and saw that he was wearing a smug look and approached him with the grace and deception of being just a woman, but everyone in the room knew that May was a force to be reckoned with, even on her worst day it was not wise to poke. He slowly backed up as she approached, until his felt his legs hit a coffee table in the middle of his room, she grabbed hold of his shirt and pulled him in to face her. 

With venom that Phil didn’t know she possessed she uttered, "I don’t know what you’re doing here but until I’ve had a word with Phil, you can go and wait downstairs. If anything, and I do mean anything, moves an inch, I’ll take you out and I don’t mean a date. Now get the hell out...!" He looked at Phil, an unspoken message travelling between the two men, one that didn’t go unnoticed by May and just confirmed her suspicions that something was going on and she’s not going to like it.

She turned to look at Phil who was looking pensive and concerned with something, but didn’t look all that willing to share since she’d come in when the statue had broken. She didn’t know the in’s and out’s of the conversation, but what she did know was that she intended to find out.

She turned and walked toward towards the door, locking it from the inside and ensuring that no one would disturb them. She walked towards Phil, who to give him credit maintained eye contact with her the whole time as the tops of her thighs touched the desk. May bent over and looked him dead in the eyes.

“We’re going to talk and you’re going to tell me what the hell is going on, but more importantly, you’re going to explain what the hell he’s doing here and why I’m not allowed to beat the crap out of him.”

Phil looked at her and realised that it’s possible he made a very grave error, but he knew that he needed the information May’s ex-husband held.

“Well Phil, I am waiting, and I don’t have all the time in the world, because if he touches anything, I will break his fingers and I’ll be laughing.”

Phil lent forward and rubbed his temples, tiredness etched across his face like lines on a map and he knew that this was going to be a very sensitive conversation, but the question for him was where does he start?


	2. The force, the love, and most of all, understanding.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A blast from the past appears and not all are happy to see them - can love come from the madness? what lies in store from the disturbance that this character brings?

He stood in the kitchen, pouring a cup of black coffee knowing that May was going to grill Phil on what he’d wanted with him. What May didn’t know is that the offering was the other way around; it was he who had come to Phil, with nothing short of a bribe. He wanted into S.H.I.E.L.D and of he had to lose a bit of information to Phil Coulson, then he was quite happy to do it for the ultimate goal, which was also up in that room.

He had married Melinda many years ago, when they were young and in love or so he lead her to believe. He needed intel and she was the perfect cover, someone who was good to look at, but also lethal when attacked; the perfect combination to look like a married couple. She’d gone and done the dumbest thing and fallen in love with him, in for a penny in for a pound so they say.

Then Bahrain happened, the most traumatic experience of their lives and they both survived it, though not unscathed and that is when the spiral down hill started and Melinda May was no longer a useful means for his ends, but he thought he might as keep her around.

She soon became distant and withdrawn and extremely paranoid which he found to be a very dangerous combination.

So he started to set things out, move things to mess with her mind. Logic being, if she were too busy with that, then she would leave him alone. 

Did he love her? Yes, in a way but obtaining what he needed was far greater importance to him than she could ever be, but he pushed a step too far. He hadn’t realised the true damage that Bahrain done to her and when she walked out of the door holding those precious secrets, he knew they would cross paths again one day.

Back up in the room all Hell had broken lose and Phil on the receiving end of May’s wrath and now.

“How the hell…! Of all the idiotic, stupid, pig-headed things to do, you INVITE that son of a bitch to our base! Are you crazy?! I could slap your nose straight off your face right now!”

“Please don’t Melinda, I am really attached to my nose, I would not look very good without it.”

“Phil this is not funny! He is an asshole and I am not working with him…!” She hissed.

“Melinda, do you trust me?”

That caught her attention, her eyes met his in a heartbeat, she lowered her voice in an instant, “You know I do Phil, I just don’t understand why you brought him here. I’ve been with you throughout it all, there is nothing that he knows that I don’t. It makes no sense why you brought him back but I know you and your plans. If you need me to trust you I will, but if he comes within a thousand feet of me, I am going to wipe the floor with him and then leave him to bleed.”

Phil knew that she was deadly serious including about the wiping the floor part but he needed this man even if only for a little while, the tension was going to be unbearable between the two of them, if not extremely uncomfortable.

He walked up to her cupped her face and put his forehead to hers, “Hey you know if I didn’t need him here it would not happen, I know he didn’t treat you the way you should’ve been treated and things you’ve yet to tell me, but I swear, it won’t be forever.”

The room suddenly became charged and she was drowning in a sea of blue, that very blue that had caused numerous arguments all those years ago when she had been accused of cheating when the accusations were totally unfounded. Warranted her heart always belong to Phil, she thought that he was out of reach, looks like she might’ve been wrong after all.

He slanted her head to the side and pecked the corner of her mouth, then to the other side and watched as her eyes drifted closed. He placed feather light kisses to her eyelids and watched beautiful emotions dance across her face; this was his Melinda, who he had kept at arm lengths for far too long. He knew it was dangerous to start something, especially when asshole number 1 was downstairs, but his heart sang a tune that only she could hear and he was now ready to answer.

He slanted his mouth across hers and an explosion of glorious colours and tastes that was purely her, assaulted his senses. She ran her arms down his back, feeling each muscle she knew were hidden under his suit, to create a façade of vulnerability that came from looking like a pencil pusher but wield power few could know. He pressed against he door encasing her in power and security that only he could provide, they both thought at the same time, 

“What time have we wasted?”

Slowly and gently the passionate kiss came to an end and they stood there staring into each others eyes, breath mingling and nothing but those two existing in that moment in time, which was theirs to share.

“You know I don’t share, right?” Phil flashed a boyish smile and she knew that he was teasing. She rubbed her hand sensuously down the front of his body zeroing on his crotch, his eyes rolled back as his head dropped onto her shoulder. She licked the shell of his ear and whispered, “I don’t share either, including the weapon in my hand right now, is mine and mine alone to fire or discharge when ready.”

“Yes ma’am.” he pecked her lips.

“Now I am going back to the gym to beat the crap out of the punching bag, you can deal with him and keep him the hell out of my way.”

She walked out of the door leaving a bemused Phil in her wake. She passed her ex husband. “What’s up Melinda, no kiss for old times sake?” No sooner had the words left his she about turned and punched him straight in the nose.

“Good enough kiss for you, darling?” With that she walked away not knowing or caring if he was bleeding, only knowing that he had better clean it up.


	3. I have a plan and please just trust me.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Why does he want him so close? will they ever get the happy end that they hope for ? Will she trust him?

Phil came out of the office and saw May’s ex-husband was crumpled on the floor holding his face, but he could also see that something had been broken, his nose was not straight.

“You had to do it…I call you back here so we can help each other and you can’t help but antagonise her. Do you want to die? She would wipe the floor with you, now go down to the lab and let Simmons fix you and try not to piss her off anymore, or you won’t last another day here.”

Coulson walked down to the gym leaving him groaning on the floor, he knew something must’ve been antagonising her and there are a few hot buttons that you leave alone. For a smack in the nose it must have been around 5/6 on the scale but he needed to have words with her, she was, and still is, the love of his life, but he needed May’s ex in one piece.

He knew she was reasonably angry; she had only half changed and was kicking the stuffing out of the punching bag. He got up behind the bag and held it, coming a split second from getting a kick to the side of the face but May was a skilled fighter and stopped herself just as the tip touched his cheek.

Coulson breathed a sigh of relief, he knew the power that she wielded, he walked around the bag and glided his hands down her arms and held her close breathing in the scent that was just her. 

He could feel her tense and coiled like a cobra, but as he soothingly rubbed circles on her back and felt the tension leave her body. She looked up at him and he could the conflict in her face, the pain and ghosts of the past warring with the anger of the present.

“Look we are down at the moment and building our way back up from nothing. I am a little low on resources and need to use some questionable people to get the information that I want, but more importantly, ensuring our survival. I don’t want him here anymore than you do, well I doubt anyone could want him gone anymore than you do, but I just need the information. I have word that there are agents being held, and they’re being used for information or tortured for secrets that we don’t want revealing especially as they’re about the new S.H.I.E.L.D. I have been pointed in his direction cause a snitch was willing to sell secrets for money and I need those secrets. I know the trouble that he’s going to bring, but for you, I would take anything.”

She looked at him and knew that he was right, if they could save some of their own then she would play nice, or as nice as she could from a distance but if he started then she would kick his ass in a heartbeat.

She turned her head into the crux of his neck and peppered his pulse point with kisses enfolding her arms under his and wrapped then around his back. She could feel the steady beat of his pulse and heart knowing that no matter what her ex brought they could deal with it together.

What they didn’t know was they weren’t alone, hidden in the alcove was a brooding and furious set of eyes staring at the scene before him. May was his and his alone; she should’ve learnt that the first time. If she needed a trip down memory lane then he would gladly take her there. She’s a lot stronger; maybe she would provide the secrets to wipe out S.H.I.E.L.D. altogether and ultimately Phil Coulson. He didn’t love her, but she still belonged to him and his organisation and if she wouldn’t come willingly, he would finish her ass well.

He walked into the now empty lab and swiped his arm clean across the table, scattering precious tests and equipment that could take them weeks to repair but whilst they were doing that he would be gathering information and secrets to get people into the base. The glass shattered across the floor, liquid dripping off the table and he knew that his work had been done. He left the room slipping back into the alcove and waiting for the chaos to occur then he could slip upstairs into the bunks and eventually Phil’s office.

He whispered into his cufflink on his wrist, entering the information that he had gathered so far, knowing that the best secrets would be in Coulson’s office but no way to get there whilst they were stood in the middle of the gym like a pair of horny teenagers. His eyes zeroed in on May and his blood started to boil, he knew she had been sleeping with him before they were divorced he could just never prove it, but he will make them both suffer.

Phil and May parted, he rubbed his nose gently against hers and stared into her eyes, the world around them cease to exist until something smashed off in the lab causing them to instantly part and race towards the commotion.

“What the hell’s happened here?” May looked pissed and Phil was trying to work out how this had happened with them being so near to the lab, the chaos would set them back weeks and the tests that Simmons had been testing would take precious time to replicate. Someone has sabotaged their lab on purpose, they hadn’t seen anyone and suddenly the guilt had set in and Phil realised he had let something interfere on the job and he about turned and walked up to his office slamming the door shut.

May watched him walked away and knew exactly what he was thinking, knowing that she would have a fight on her hand she made her way up to his office, only to find that the door had been locked from the inside.

May felt her heart plummet through the floor and the tears began to fall, she turned around with her back to the door and dropped to sit with her back against it and her knees folded to her chest. The stress and emotional turmoil combined with lack of sleep was wearing her down and breaking her heart, she had the world in the palm of her hand and now it was dust that sat on the floor beside her.

She didn’t realise that someone was watching her as her temper flared and she started to kick and punch the office door and the rings of, “PHIL OPEN THE FUCKING DOOR NOW, OR I SWEAR I WILL KICK IT IN.”

He chuckled to himself and walked to make a drink knowing that seeds of chaos had once again been spread across the S.H.I.E.L.D. facility and now it was his turn to watch them bloom with is help, of course.


	4. Mend the pieces of my broken heart and lab

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> May will get through to him one way or the other ? Even if she is injured in the process , she isn't above causing some property damage if it gets her point across.

Phil was on the other side of the door with his back pressed against it, he could feel the severe beating that his office door was taking. He dreaded seeing what dents there were going to be when he finally opened the door. 

The mother of all wars was taking place in his heart and his heart, he loved Melinda May with all that he was, but if in the few minutes that they were hugging and kissing lead to the partial destruction of the lab with months of set backs, then what was something more intimate going to produce?

He immediately became suspicious of May’s husband and decide to do a little digging of his own to see just how far up the importance ladder he went, but first he needed to open the door before she decided to kick it in. 

He stood and turned unbolting the lock and releasing the catch on the door, there on the other side was a very angry yet stunningly beautiful Melinda May, but more importantly, he saw her battered and bloody knuckles. He looked at the door and took in the numerous indentations ranging for her knuckles to what look like her shoes and knees, sure he was glad that this wasn’t his face and made him almost feel sorry for the men and women who had crossed her in the past. 

He looked up and saw the fury in her eyes, hair mussed from sweat and heat, lips plump from where she had bit them as she beat the door and her heaving chest. It was all too much to take, he grabbed her arm yanking her forward and slamming the door shut. He pushed her back against the door and lifts her hands to inspect her knuckles and see what damage had been done. 

Other then being sore, bruised and cut he knew she had not broken anything in her temper tirade, but he had to be sure so with each individual knuckle he kissed ever so softly with his tender lips. Her eyes were transfixed on him at the feel of his lips, a groan left her throat and her eyes rolled back into her head and with a soft thud it hit the door. He didn’t stop in his relenting quest as he ran his rough tongue across her each knuckle making sure that there was nothing in the wounds but arousing her at the same time, he took one finger in his mouth and swirled his tongue around the tip as he sucked It into his mouth. The air rushed out of May’s lungs as she felt him take her finger in the his mouth and she thought, ‘If his lips feel like this on my finger where else would they feel good.’

Whilst she was having the lascivious thoughts her mind was drawn back to the present when she felt him drop her hands and cup her waist as he started peppering her neck and chest with luscious, hot, wet kisses that were sending her blood racing through her veins like molten hot lava at break neck speed.

The situation was fast getting out of control and if they didn’t stop and talk soon, she would be pulling his pants down in no time at all. As if, reading her thoughts he pressed a hot open-mouthed kiss to her collarbone and pulled her to sit down at the desk.  
She sat down as instructed and watched as he went to get the first aid kit to deal with the cuts on her hands. She sat thinking about how many of the other wounds that he’d help to heal including when she had clawed her way back from the damage of Bahrain. As always he has been the balm to her wounds, soothing the wounds with love and gentleness that only he could provide. 

He came back and put the box on the desk and started to dab the antiseptic across her wounds without getting a hiss from her, even though it stung like a bitch, he then dabbed with such tenderness making sure he hurt her as little as possible. She knew more than anything the years that had been wasted but she intended to rectify this as soon as she kicked that piece of rubbish of an ex-husband, out of her home.

Phil looked up at her with so sorrow in his eyes, the thought that he had hurt her or caused her injuries was like a punch to the gut for him and something he never wanted to do. He cupped her face, “I’m sorry love, I just saw the damage that had been done in the lab and immediately put that upon me. Yes I know, before you say you were willing participant…” at that she smirked, as she knew she was so much more than a willing participating but let him carry on, “but I am the Director and should be leading by example and our current example just got a lab trashed, what they were looking for I do not know.”

“Well they aimed for something specific because they only trashed one part of the lab, they left two thirds alone which means it was for show and distraction more than it was for actual intent.” May looked with a steely gaze usually directed at unsuspecting individuals who didn’t know whom they were up against and who she was about to kick seven bells out of.

“Do you think we should tell the gang about him, they are all going to be coming back soon and we need to explain at least who he is. You can’t expect Skye to come back and not ask the million and one questions that she will ask, or more likely hack into, to find out things.”

May knew that that she was right but that meant filling them in on all the parts of the past, the good, the bad, and from the marks on her, the definite ugly but she knew that Phil was right.

“OH MY WORD!” The voice of Jemma Simmons echoed across the building causing May and Phil to both move in the direction of the echoing voice. They entered into the room and caught Jemma and Co looking at the CCTV and a gasp from Jemma filled the room as they saw Mays ex husband on the screen but something had happened to him as he was not all human and even May was shocked, finding out he was not the man she thought she had married. What the hell had he become and what was his interest in them? She was just about to walk out when Phil grabbed her arm and shook his, there as a lot that needed to be said or should that be there was more that he needed May to say.

Skye turned to look at them both severely unimpressed, “What the hell is going on?”

Phil looked at May; “Think we’re having that talk now.”

May for once looked crestfallen but took them into the kitchen to begin a painful journey that would hopefully explain why he was here.


	5. My life, my past and the whole truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> May has to tell them only enough about where she and her ex husband met, lets just say the gang may not be as accepting as what Phil hoped.

May and the others surrounded the table in the kitchen and sat down. She was looking fidgety which was highly unusual until Phil grabbed her hand and held it under the table steadying her, keeping her grounded and being her rock.

She turned to face the others and began a long and painful story, “I met my soon to be dead ex husband shortly before Bahrain, and before you ask the full story is up for discussion once his sorry ass is gone. Let’s just say I acquired my name ‘The Cavalry’ because I’m resourceful, with a unique skill set. Super humans kidnapped a group of our Agents and S.H.I.E.L.D. was going to pull out and leave them there, because the price was too high. I wouldn’t allow this and entered in alone and it ending with me freeing them all.”

Skye, Jemma and Fitz were looking at her in complete awe making her feel like a freak show, she didn’t want, or need, the name but she knew it had been imprinted on her, making her famous in their circle. She looked at Phil who squeezed her hand and gave her a small smile encouraging her to go on, knowing that this needed to be out in the open for everyone, he knew that she didn’t have to tell them everything.

“Shortly afterwards, when I came out, I wasn’t myself bearing scars and wounds on the outside and the inside. I shoved away all that held dear, plagued by torturous nightmares of things I had done in revenge, malice and heartache. I even pushed Phil away for a time and went on a rampage ready to drive over the edge at breakneck speed with no one to stand in my way…”

“Were you tortured?” Skye tried to keep quiet, really she did, but she just couldn’t help it and knew she was crossing a line with the look that Coulson had given her.

“Yes, for a few hours but what happened to those Agents and I will stay with me till I draw my last breathe, a nightmare I wouldn’t wish upon my worst enemy. Phil doesn’t even know, it was enough to drive me to my knees and out of my mind. I had to pull out all the stops and do some unspeakable things. That’s when I met my ex husband…”

“Does he have a name?” Skye did it again and this time Phil banged his fist on the table making everyone including May jump.

“Skye, I am warning you…!”

“Shhhhh Phil, we have brought him here so please, they have the right to know.” She put her hand on top of his and patted it so gently.

“His name is Daemon and know I will not spell it or his last name because I know Skye will only try to research him.” They all looked at Skye.

“What? ” Skye had the cheek to look offended.

“I met him when I was in the Admin department of S.H.I.E.L.D., I was broken and bruised thinking he would be my salvation. We spent a few years before things started to change. He would disappear for days on end, things would disappear from our home but he always bring back a present some rare and exotic item, including at one point, the obelisk we’ve spent the last few months searching for….” 

This earned her a raised eyebrow from Phil, who found this to be a very interesting piece of information that they would have to discuss another time.

She looked at them with sorrow, heartache and stress written all over her face like the carvings on Phil’s wall. Piece by piece the wall was coming down and her emotions were being laid bare for all to see, as her life and dark recesses of her heart were being laid bare,  “I wasn’t myself and paid no notice until he drew a gun on me and shot me in the back three times. I had to crawl out on hands and knees until I could get into a standing position, he was about to kill me when S.H.I.E.L.D. came and took him away.”

May lifted her jacket to reveal three bullet wounds on her back, all aimed where the vital organs should be and no one could do anything but cry and gasp, Skye threw herself at May and wrapped her in a bone crushing embrace. Skye trace the bullet wounds, as though they were fresh, tracing the scar tissue like a stencil but sensing she was putting life into May was a unique experience.

“You could’ve died…” Skye had tears running down her face and her sobs rang throughout the room.

May had no idea how to deal with this, she thought that a part of her had long gone after the events in Bahrain, seeing the abuse and smelling the stench of rotting flesh searing in her brain like a pattern and yet here she was in a tight embrace with a young lady, who for some reason meant a great deal to her. Like her, she was damaged, but Skye was still repairable and May would make sure that would happen and she got the life she deserves.

Once Skye had finally released her, she was surprised to find that she sat right beside her on the other side to Phil, grasp her other hand and urged her to continue with the story.

“He was on the way to the facility, when the Agents were ambushed and killed leaving him to crawl out and flee, he left them, no one found the Agents for days but by then any chance of removing the bullets and saving them had gone, one was a young protégée, I’d trained with her first day on the job. She lay there with her eyes open until she was carried to rest and I swore the next time I saw him, I would shoot him in the face…until I found out what I know now.”

She looked at Phil who suddenly because very uncomfortable, May had streaks down her face where the silent tears had fallen and drop to her leather trousers staining leaving her imprint in them forever 

“If he did all that, and this is the part of what she has told us about, what in the world is he doing here?” They all turned and looked Phil waiting for an explanation to why they are all in this position.

“Well, we know he was a S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent but he was supposed to be undercover. It turns out he May have gone rogue but he doesn’t know that we know and so I’ve brought him in for information and that’s why he is staying here.”

All hell broke lose…


	6. I do not believe what I am seeing.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Skye has more than a few choice words for Coulson, when the team find out about the existence of May's ex husband but what is the key piece that Coulson has failed to think about?

“ARE YOU REAL? AC WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU THINKING?!” Skye launched up from the chair before May could speak. She had released May’s hand and was squaring up to Coulson as the blood soured her ears and her temper shot through the roof.

Phil hadn’t time to respond before she set of with another verbal tirade, shocking the team into silence, “SERIOUSLY AC, WHAT ARE YOU THINKING? HE’S SHOT HER, YOU’VE NOT IDEA WHICH SIDE HE WORKS FOR? AND WITH THE LOOK OF THE CCTV WE DON’T EVEN KNOW IF HE’S HUMAN? YOUR BRIGHT IDEA IS TO BRING HIM TO THE BASE? OUR SECRET BASE? DID I MISS ‘SECRET’?”

Phil shot out of his chair and in what appeared a calm and measured voice but belied authority and fear, “Skye, I don’t know where or who you think you are, but last time I looked in the mirror, I am the director of S.H.I.E.L.D. I run this place and you as a subordinate follow orders, when you need to know something I will tell you. This is something that you didn’t need to know but something that you have to follow, if you have issues with that then the door is over there.” He pointed to the entrance of the kitchen but was really pointing in the direction of the door.

Skye looked at him in disbelief and was just about to walk out the door, when a hand shot out and grabbed her wrist. She stood stock-still and turned her head to see that May had grabbed her wrist, looking into her eyes communicating a silent message to sit down before she was put down. Skye turned back and slumped into the seat but was clearly communicating that she was not pleased about the situation, not one bit.

Phil turned back to the table and looked at the faces staring at him, “Anyone else have a problem then please feel free to walk out the door, otherwise we carry on as a team should.” The silence that hung in the air was deafening and a pin could have echoed throughout the building, Director Coulson looked around clearly not impressed with what he had witnessed and would be having a word with Skye later, reiterating what authority was.

“Eh Sir? Was there another reason to this meeting or can we start rebuilding the lab again?” Jemma was looking at Fitz and Coulson tentatively, waiting for the answer to her question.

“We have a mission to work on now, as well as dealing with this problem. There are S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents being tortured for information, a small pocket of them that could be useful to this agency rebuilding, but first we have to go and find them. If any secrets such as S.H.I.E.L.D. being still being active get out and about people such as Loki will be down on this compound faster than I can say ‘Go’.”

Skye’s iPad beeped and verification of what Phil had just said was true, a sea of red dots had a small pocket of blue ones in the middle, it was surrounding and beeping furiously showing that the Agents were in deep distress. 

Suddenly May’s colour drained from her face as she banged her fists on the desk and stormed out of the room.

It took a few moments for Coulson to click as to what was May’s problem and that is when the plan hit home. He immediately looked at the others, “Skye, I want you to try and track where those blue dots are located, hack, bribe or do whatever you need to and get this job done. FitzSimmons repair the lab and start working on any gadgets you have that will help us with this.”

He started walking towards the door, “Where you going…?” He turned back round to face the other three.

“I am going to try and repair some monumental damage that I have just caused with my big mouth.” With that he stormed out, slamming the door nearly taking it off its hinges and rocking the room.

Skye turned to Fitzsimmons, “What the hell is he playing at? Why would he bring that monster into the camp? HE SHOT MAY!! Does that mean nothing to him?”

“Skye, I know that you mean well, but maybe we should just trust the Director and what his plans are. I know that we might not like what is happening but we are going to have to believe that he knows what he is doing. He wouldn’t bring Daemon into the building if he didn’t think that he needed to, nor would he put May at risk, if he thought that something really bad would happen.”

While the other three were talking in the kitchen they were unaware that someone was stood outside the door, listening to what they were saying and trying to catch part of the plan.  He knew he needed to bring the gears up a notch as they were now pointing the finger at him; he needed to do this without drawing too much attention to himself. He intended to take Phil out and make May suffer the way that she did him, and then when he had her down on her knees, he’d intend to take her out, finishing the pair who made a fool out of him. Any information that he’d gathered would go to his boss, advising him that they were aware of the cornered Agents. He awaited the warning that they needed to move but for now he was going to go and enjoy the show and watch Phil try and soothe a wounded May as her demons fought for control over her emotions.

He walked down the corridor chuckling to himself as the seeds he’d sown begun to flourish, it amused him to see May so unnerved and it reminded him of their past before he shot her, it was just a shame that she was stronger than she looked. He intended to change all that and move up the ranks after this mission, earning him the recognition he wanted.

Coulson had reached May’s bunk as the heart-wrenching sob ripped through the room. He shoulder barged the door open, the locked busted and shattered across the floor but he didn’t give a damn, he paid no attention as he saw her down on her knees. 

He scooped her up in his arms and embraced her as he tucked her head in his chest and let the tears flow as her sobs tore from her chest and his heart broke in two at what he was witnessing. He’ll sit here all night if she needed him to, letting her break down and release the pent up emotions she’d been holding back all this time, since he’d let that asshole enter their base.

What felt like hours had passed before the body shaking, heart-wrenching sobs ceased and she fell gently into a shattered slumber. He picked her up and placed her gently on the bed and sat guard over his angel, drained but willing to take whatever was thrown at him, if it meant that he kept his angel safe.


	7. Find another plan B and fast.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phil now knows that things are not what they appear to be? is this mission really the truth of the matter? and what exactly does phil think he knows?

May stirred and felt her head against something warm but so solid with a smell she’d recognise a million miles away. She raised her head and saw the stunning blue eyes of Phil Coulson staring back her, she was still sleepy but knew she hadn’t felt this safe in a long time. He bent his head down but before he could connect, “My breath will be bad.” She mumbled through her hand. 

He kissed her hand and to May’s surprise she felt his hot, wet muscle against her hand worming its way through until she took her hand away and it paid homage to hers. His tongue started to massage hers, as his hand worked its way around to cup her head, and he tilted it in the kiss. She grabbed onto the front of his shirt but her hand slipped away and moan ripped from her throat, as his tongue did something she had never experienced before but damn well intended to again. 

‘This mans tongue should come with a warning label. I’m certain what he’s just done is illegal in all states…’ Before her internal monologue could continue, he nipped at her bottom lip like he knew she loved and all thoughts cease to exist. 

When the need for oxygen became too much he slowly ended it and looked at the flushed and dazed face of May, smiling to himself that he could at least give her one happy memory. He nudged her nose with his and said, “Oh, did I forget to mention that I don’t care?”

She giggled, actually giggled, what was wrong with her? She looked back up again and knew the reason was right before her eyes.

“I am sorry for being such an idiot. It never occurred to me that this would bring back bad memories for you. Daemon came with Intel and I knew we needed it but I forgot the bigger picture and by that I mean you. He says that he can lead us to them but I think he is leading us astray and there are no Agents, I have word that there are fake trackers in their offices which were giving us false identifications but I can’t be sure yet. I never thought how he’d impact you and when you let the penny drop and I thought you were going to leave. Hearing you cry like you did tore my heart in two and I feel such a humongous idiot, please forgive me?” 

She looked up at him and knew that he truly hadn’t meant to hurt her. 

“Nothing to forgive.” She cupped his face and he nuzzled her like a kitten, her touch sending his pulse racing every time.

“So, what are we going to do? About Daemon, if he is leading us into a trap we need to have an exit plan or he will ruin us all?” May spoke with trepidation, the mere thought that something could happen was breaking her, she would take a beating anytime, anyplace, anywhere, if it meant that no one harmed a hair on Phil’s head.

“We are going through with his plan but making sure that we have an exit strategy including, if all else fails, you will leave and take the others with you.” He looked her dead in the eyes and she could see from the stern expression that he was serious about leaving him if all else failed. She shot up out of his arms and slapped him across the face, watching as an angry red mark appeared.

“ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?! PHIL, WHAT MAKES YOU THINK IN THAT THICK SKULL OF YOURS, THAT I’D EVER LEAVE YOU BEHIND…LIKE EVER? I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU’D EVEN SUGGEST SUCH A THING! THE ANSWER IS NO, NOT NOW AND NOT EVER WILL I LEAVE YOU BEHIND!”

May was flushed and breathing heavy after exerting that much energy into her rant and her slap but she refused to back down on this one. Phil saw her with her hands on her hips, her jaw set and for the fact that she had just slapped him, there was no way in hell she would leave him behind.

“Well since you just vetoed plan b we need to come up with an alternative and quickly because, according Daemon, we’re leaving tomorrow.” 

Whilst the pair was talking shop, another figure was creeping along the landing and pressed against the wall. They had left the door slightly ajar knowing the others had gone to work or into their perspective bunks. Much to their dismay Daemon was standing outside the door listening to the second alternative plan b.”

Phil signalled to May by putting his finger to his lips and wrote on a piece of paper. ‘He’s outside.’ 

May’s expression dropped, fury entered her eyes in a heartbeat, and she was about to go to the door when she heard scribbling.

‘Don’t even think about it…!’  She looked at his face, eyebrow raised and smirked pressed on her lips. He could read her mind better than anyone else she knew and it was just one of the things that she loved about him.

‘Carry on speaking about the false plan, I’ll fill you in on the real one when we get into my room and I know for sure we’re alone. He’s reporting to someone and I intend to find out who, cause besides him, they’re coming with us.’

He put the pencil down and got up from the bed, pecking her on the lips and walking to the door saying loud enough, “I’ll see you in my office in an hour.”

He opened the door to find that no one was there, but he could hear the very faint sounds of shoes running on metal and knew that his instinct had been right, now he knew for sure that he was being played. He intended to make the game a more interesting. If Daemon harmed a sleeve of May’s jacket he would ensure that he knew what hell felt like, cause he would bring it down on him without the need of any weapon created by the gods or man.

Daemon was in the kitchen, panting heavily after trying to run yet be a quiet as he could against the Director, but he was wondering if a maybe he’d been heard? Were they listening did he know they were there?

Suddenly his mobile phone rang in his pocket, he pulled it out and flipped the phone open.

“Is the plan still on?” a distinctive male voice came down the phone, but he knew no one could hear him as they were all upstairs.

“Yes it’s still on, but there’s a slight change because now I know they have a plan B, I will take them both out at once. That’ll show them for ruining my career and definitely her for leaving me, how dare she!?” Daemon spat out like the words were a vile substance in his mouth, even the mere thought of her with someone else raised his blood to boiling point, but he only had to wait a little longer and she would be his once more.

“Send me the details and I’ll set the matter up.” With that the phone went dead and Daemon was stood with a grin on his face, knowing he was going to take down S.H.I.E.L.D. and have Melinda May as his woman once more.


	8. The fake plan and Skye.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They know he is not telling the whole truth and decide that they need him but will end him at the same time. What will be the price? Will Skye be retribution?

“So, just who are you?”

Daemon whipped around to the sound of the voice, he saw Skye stand in the doorway looking not too impressed with what she had heard.

Through her time in S.H.I.E.L.D. she had become an exceptional liar and could bluff her way out of almost any situation but now it was getting put to the test.

“What are you talking about?” Daemon attempted to look innocent but against Skye that was a stupid move and things were starting to fall apart.

“Let’s just say, I heard your conversation and know what you have planned. Coulson will be happy to hear that you’re back stabbing low life that we all think you are…” With that Skye turned around ready to walk out the door but before her foot touched the floor to walk forward, something touch the back of her head. She stood stock still knowing it was something soft and most likely would kill her and then she felt a hot moist breath on her neck,

“Listen to me you ‘little orphan Annie’, if you so much as breathe a word to anyone about anything you have seen, I will put a bullet in you. Oh, but the most pleasurable part is, that I will make you watch me as I put a bullet in the rest of the team, one by one. You hear me?”

Skye was literally shaking with fear, she knew this guy was crazy but this was off the charts crazy and she watched as part of his hand shimmered into an unknown silver substance and then returned to its original state.

‘WHAT THE-?!” Now Skye was literally starting to hyperventilate, nothing on earth prepared her for this and neither did the partial S.H.I.E.L.D. training that she had received so far. She watched as he came into her line of vision.

“Remember what I said, because I meant every word.” With that he stalked away and left Skye to slump on the floor in an unconscious heap.

Daemon was walking towards Coulson’s office to obtain the maps that were he knew Coulson kept and find out where the remaining S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents were, if he could destroy May, Coulson and S.H.I.E.L.D. then he would literally have it all and his boss would hail him as a hero for bringing S.H.I.E.L.D. to its knees once and for all. He rounded the corner and was a split second away from walking into May, but years of training had left her with the ability to anticipate almost anything. She side stepped him and watched as he nearly went over the banister to the floor below, she watched him and sniggered.

“Still the bullshitter in a china shop, oh wait sorry, a bull in a china shop. Where you going? We have to iron out the details of this mission if we are to leave tomorrow. Now come, Coulson is waiting for us downstairs!” She was about to turn and walk down the stairs when she looked at Daemon and said, “You seen Skye.”

“Why would I?” He tried to look nonchalant, as though he didn’t care but inside his heart was pounding, when May had grown strong again she could sense like she was him and knew that if he had a doubt she would know that he had done something to Skye. She walked past him to go back up the stairs, his hands were starting to sweat but his face was straight as an arrow giving nothing away, “You want me to come with? Or go to Phil?”

“I am a big girl, I don’t need your ass or any other part of you for that matter anymore. Phil is in the kitchen.” With that she sauntered off knowing full well he wouldn’t touch her ever again if he wanted to keep his limbs and what he was aware of was her hiding a gun in her hand waiting for him to so much as twitch so she could put a bullet between his eyes but nothing.

He knew that time was starting to run short and his days were numbered so he went to Phil to see if he could start planting the seeds of doubt in Coulson’s mind that would tear him and Melinda apart.

May was just at the top of the stairs, when she heard a loud groan; she looked to her left and saw a hand splayed out on the floor. May ran the breadth of the landing in record time and skidded on her knees to Skye, moans and groans were emanating from her which grew louder as May checked her head. 

‘OOOOWWWW that hurts, big style’

May fetched her hand back round to see blood as smeared across her palm, not thinking about it she picked Skye up bridal style and carried her to the lab where Simmons would be. She had no idea what happened but she had a dam good idea who was responsible for this. Skye’s head lolled to the side as she drifted in and out on consciousness.

“Hey, hey, Skye. Don’t you dare go to sleep on me. You hear me or I’ll drop your skinny ass on the floor.”

May shot through the door, “Jemma see to Skye, she has banged her head for sure and gashed it open but as for the rest of her I am not so sure.”  With that she marched out of the lab and headed to Phil and the Psychopath or as we know him, her ex-husband.

Phil was just in the middle of the plan, explaining how they would approach from the front as decoys and May would slip in the back to free the Agents. He had prepped the speech against this non-existent compound but if Daemon checked he would see an old army compound manufactured just in case he accessed the system. Phil knew full well that there were no Agents there now, he had received confirmation from a trust source hours before but he needed to keep Daemon on side till he was imprisoned or killed first. He knew that Daemon intended to take him there and not the others to finish what Loki had started, he needed to get Daemon alone and quickly to keep the others out of harms way and if it meant breaking his promise to May to keep her safe, so be it.

She heard Daemons voice, “Yeah, that seems like a good idea. May has the stealth and the knowledge with the added bonus of being able to defend herself, so we wouldn’t have to worry about her being captured as much as the others. I mean that we would worry of course, but—”

Phil held his hand up, “Daemon, cut the crap and just get down to business.”

Before he could utter the end of the plan to them with co-ordinates, May had stepped out of the doorway and launched across the room. She somersaulted over the table and balancing herself on the edge roundhouse kicked Daemon in the face. Before he had chance to hit the floor she was on him, raining punches with all the magnificent force that she was. He could only hold his hands up to defend himself before she started on his kidneys, Phil grabbed hold of May and with strength even he knew he should not have, he removed her.

“May stop that’s an order!”

“YOU SON OF A BITCH, SHE’S A CHILD A CHILD GODDAMN IT. YOU COULDN’T SETTLE FOR SHOOTING ME IN THE BACK YOU WANT HER TOO? OVER MY DEAD BODY, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, OVER YOURS! IF ANYTHING HAPPENS TO ANY OF MY TEAM I WILL RUIN YOU.”


	9. The Plan begins to unfurl and all hell breaks lose.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things now begin to unfurl and what May does not realise is Phil has a plan to leave him behind and ensure they all get to safety. What is Daemon upto and will he live?

Phil could see what was going to happen a split second before it did and managed to stand in front of Daemon but unfortunately May had already seen red and her fist connected with his chin. His head swung back and moan ripped from his throat as the pain tore throat his head like a runaway train, Daemon knew to step back before Phil's skull smacked him in the face.

May was mortified but still angry at the same time, she rushed straight to Phil , "Oh Phil, what were you thinking getting in front of him like that !!! why did you not let me smack him in the face? Put your head back and let me look at the damage." She felt the bridge of his nose noting that it was not broken but he would be sporting some lovely black eyes for a few weeks.

"Damage Report?" Phil was looking at her with trepidation in his eyes knowing that Melinda May when angry could do a whole heap of damage.

"Well nothing is broken that’s for sure but you are going to look proper sexy with those panda eyes." She smirked at him but in the haste to deal with him she had not noticed that Daemon had already skulked out into the night without a scratch on him.

She rubbed her hand down the bridge of his nose noting a little bump but still attached to a gorgeous face that she loved.

"What's happened? why did you come charger down here ?"

"Skye has been attacked and is currently lying unconscious with Simmons. She had marks on her face and throat and before she blacked out she pointed at Daemon and lost consciousness. He put his hands on her, he put his hands on one of ours and I do not care who you are. You put your hands on mine and I will take you out !!! but now the son of a bitch has skulked off because I am betting good money that he will be hoping you can bring me round"

"Its true Melinda we really need to keep him on side, he is here to take us out for reasons I have no idea but he is dangerous and I need to keep him close to us. I cant protect you or the others if I do not know where he is. Please Melinda " 

 

Melinda had the urge to smack him and really make it count, she could not believe after what he had done that Phil wanted her to play shop with that piece of work, she turned around and stormed off only just missing the doors as they were too slow to open.

Phil knew that this was going to be a close call and if he did not play quick then there would be no Daemon left and May would be sporting a stint in a federal prison because he had the distinct feeling that the ramp would be lowered in the new bus with no parachute attached to him, he certainly would have a heard time explaining that to the authorities. He made sure his nose had stopped bleeding and proceeded to go and find Daemon.

 

He found him hiding in the corner of his office looking out of the window, Daemon was curious how they could see out but not see in but his thoughts were interrupted when he felt Phil's hand on his shoulder and suddenly found his face pressed against the wall. He hadn't expected this from Phil but knew with the grip on his arm, it was not wise to move for fear Phil would break it. He knew if he touched May whilst in the premises, he would be shot on the spot but he had no idea the special place and understanding that Phil and Skye shared , so he thought that he would be safe touching her but he seems to have made a grave error as he was now in serious danger of popping his shoulder. He felt his breath on his ear and the resonating voice of Phil shattering his consciousness, 

"Now listen here you disgusting piece of crap, I know for a fact that it was you that attacked Skye and I do not need proof but the fact that there is only the team and you on the premises means that it is you. No one would attack each other, we have been under spells, curses and alien inhibitions and still we did not attack other and yet you come along and hey presto Skye is taken down. Now if it wasn’t for the fact that you have information on where the agents are, I would lock you in a room and leave you to May's devices and believe you me she has a fair few. Now I am going to release you and we are going to get moving but if anyone else and I do mean ANYONE has even a hair moved out of place by you I will personally ensure that you never see the light of day again."

Daemon whipped around to see a furious looking Phil but concerned him more is that he had a gun in his other hand warning him of the silent message but also the warning.

They proceeded to the entrance of the building and onto the bus, both he and May had already prearranged a place where they would land that looked a lot like the so called place that Daemon was trying to take them, they had a contingency plan if something went wrong enabling them all to get out and leave so little behind but what May did not know was that Phil had a plan of his own that that ensured the complete safety of everyone but him. He knew that May would not agree but it was something that he had to do because he could not live knowing that one of them had died due to his stupid decision to bring him into the group and let him cause the mayhem he had.

They felt the bus raise into the air with Daemon stumbling on the floor, "Does she always do that?" Daemon asked Phil.

"No she usually tells us wheels up in five but I think she isn't very happy with either of us at the moment but I am not worried as there is a higher chance of her shooting you then me. Even when we were younger and I had and I was in love with her then, there was always the chance of you being shot first."With that Phil walked off to his office leaving the man stood there seething with rage at the thought they had done something whilst he was still married to her. He knew full well her had the hot's for but he could not prove anything because after Bahrain he had her under control for some time but he never did know.

A short while later they felt the bus descend to land on the floor below and the ramp whirred as it dropped to allow them exit. May locked the controls knowing full well that if things went wrong he would try and get back on the bus but she would break his fingers before let him fly this plane not while she was breathing anyhow. 

Daemon watched them walk down the ramp and followed in pursuit unhooking the pistol that he hand hidden in his trousers and aimed it directly at Phil, "Now let the fun begin."


	10. Marry me and forsake all others May

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daemon is willing to get her but is May willing to pay the price for this ? Will Phil ever be able to forgive her?

They were walking down the path to what could only be described as ruins, it looked like a dilapidated piece of earth but they knew something was not as it appeared to be. What was concerning May the most was that Coulson had set off in front, as though he knew where was going and he was intending to get their first against all the odds. May knew that Daemon was behind with a gun in his hand, he thinks she hasn’t noticed the bulge in back as she made her past him on the rump, so she knew he was carrying. 

Daemon knew that when they entered the ruin they would be in one of the most technological places on earth, making the facilities in S.H.I.E.L.D. pale in comparison. They had the serum ready which would ensure utter control over Melinda May, as long as she had regular doses and she would once again be the compliant little woman that he made her after Bahrain. He had underestimated her abilities to fight back and knew that the serum needed to be altered to encode her genetic DNA to make it the best and the strongest. 

They moved a stone to the left making the floor move and a door revealed a path down the decks below, just before May took her first step she felt something pressed into he back and from the feeling, it was a gun which made her stiffen in response. 

"I swear May,” Daemon whispered, “If you so much as twitch when we get down there, I will put a bullet square between Phil’s eyes but not before I have tortured him past the point of insanity, till he cries for mercy. If you behave and do as your told, then he will be shot in the head, ensuring a quick death, which by the way, is more than he deserves for taking you away from me. He stole you and you cheated on me, for which I’m going to get revenge, but more importantly I’m reclaiming my woman." 

May looked calm on the outside but inside there was a whirlwind of emotions going through her the most prominent was fear. She feared for Phil and what would happen to him once they entered the compound below. She loved Phil with all her heart and if following Daemon’s orders was the price she had to pay to ensure that he lived, she would do it, there was nothing on the earth that she wouldn’t do for Phil’s safety. 

Phil was walking head, he didn’t know why, but something was calling him and even though he hadn’t known of the compounds existence he just knew the way to go. He weaved through the corridors not paying attention to the millions of dollars worth of equipment that he could be taking in or copying for S.H.I.E.L.D. but he still he ploughed on. He walked through the doors, which slid open as though it knew he was authorised to enter the facility, calling to him like a siren to the ships on the sea. Before he knew what was happening something was injected in the side of his neck and he dropped to the floor and was caught by a blanket before he could cause damage. He was then strapped to a chair, wrists bound, legs tied and head restrained from moved so when Phil returned to the world of the living he wasn’t able to move but the serum that Daemon had slipped would ensure his compliance to his demands.   

Daemon could feel the plan working to a tee and knew that she would be his soon and Phil would be dead, that little shit who had caused all this to go wrong and take her from him will now suffer and he could get rid of him plus bring down the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. What else could be better?  

May was desperately trying to think of another scenario, which didn’t involve her leaving Phil behind, she knew this had been done for a reason, she knew that Phil must have a contingency plan in place to ensure freedom, but her heart could be heard breaking as screams echoed through the corridor and she turned to Daemon. 

"Please Daemon, I did love you once and I’m sure I could do it again, given time, but please leave Phil alone. I’ll do anything for you, anything you ask of me, just please let him go." 

Daemon knew that he had her right where he wanted her and she would agree to his demands without hesitation.  

"Marry me!" 

"What?" May's heart dropped like a led balloon into the sea, she was expecting something ridiculous, but she was not expecting this. Phil's cries continue to echo off the walls like a wave growing louder every time and she couldn’t take much more.  

In the other room, knives were being stabbed and slit across the planes of Phil's body, picking the most sensitive parts they knew of, so he would either talk or give in. They ripped open his shirt revealing the long scar left by the Asgardian bastard, Loki. 

May and Daemon had walked to the entrance of the room and she could see Phil was in a sea of red, pooling on the floor around him but she could see that the wounds were superficial but then she noticed that his shirt had been ripped exposing the scar. Three men advanced upon him, once released the clasp on his head to pull his head up making him look at May in the eyes. He could see the fear, anguish and heartache written over her beautiful face like a mysterious sonnet but there was nothing that he could do being strapped to the chair.  

The other guy started raining blows upon his defeated body; these had been done with precision as though the objective was to cause as much pain as possible but not to kill him. Daemon had intended to keep him alive as long as possible and make May suffer so that she would say yes to his demand. 

First blow was to his calf, blow after blow causing cramps to rip through his legs but they couldn’t be moved as they were restrained. Then the hollow of the knee, enough force can cause it to pop but the guy was using just the right amount to ensure he felt every lick of pain and finally the floating ribs affecting his breathing as he tried so hard to force air into his lungs, but every smack to the floating ribs would guarantee that it was difficult, if not impossible. 

May turned to look at Daemon with resignation and loss in her eyes to utter the words, which would ultimately finish Phil’s suffering, or so she hoped. 

"Daemon, I will marry you, just please just stop this now." For the first time in May's life she was pleading, with all that she was, to release her love and gain Phil’s safety. 

Daemon looked at her manically and he held up his hands and immediately the blows stopped. He approached May and pecked her on the lips; she wanted to vomit but kept herself together and prayed that a back up plan worked. 

Coulson looked at her and died inside, the physical pain stopped but the pain in his heart was worse than Loki's attack that tore his heart in two. This blow not only ripped his hear but his whole world too and he knew no matter what, he was going to stop that wedding. 


	11. A wing and a prayer will stop the wedding.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> May intends to keep Phil safe, Phil intends to keep May safe but at what price? What will Daemon do to ensure that May will always be his and will anyone help in time?

The man that was raining the blows upon Phil immediately ceased in his reign of pain down upon Phil and looked at Daemon, waiting for his next instructions. Phil wore a look of pain etched on his face, but it was not from the violence he sustained, but from the look on May's face. He knew that she loved him but this was something he didn’t expect. He told her not to come, he told her that he had a back up plan, and yet she went against him anyway, he was now going to have to endure the pain of watching the woman he loved marry the biggest scheming asshole he’d ever come across, and there had been a few.

"Well, let’s do it now?" May's head shot up and met Phil's eyes, the fear could not be disguised, no matter how hard they tried and May was desperately trying not to shake and show her fear, knowing that Daemon would certainly take advantage of that.

"What was that Daemon? You want to marry now, what about planning? A white dress? A girls dream." May could have physically vomited at the picture that she had just painted, it was so far from the truth and her ideal dream but if it gave her enough stalling time in order to think of an escape plan.

Phil was sat desperately attempting to take the screws off the hinges of the lock, he was quickly thinking that, if it were May in this situation, she would’ve dislocated her wrist and slipped out, in no time but he wasn’t her and taking a little while longer to do it.

"I think not. Do you seriously think that I would give you the time to plan anything? You ruined me! You divulged secrets about me, hit me and more importantly, you left me!! You left me!!! Don’t you know who I am? You thought that you could leave me? Set S.H.I.E.L.D. on me, and you thought that I’d not come after you? I saw the way that you looked at Phil when we were married, even after Bahrain, when you shut me out, you always had time for him, and space in your heart. Now look at you, getting into trouble because of that pompous prick in a suit."

Phil couldn’t decide whether to be shocked or amused, he had been called some things in his time but pompous was never one of them, "You have such a way with words Daemon and if you weren't such a double crossing asshole and treat your partner with the respect and love she deserves then maybe, just maybe, she might have stayed. Although, messing with her head was not your wisest move, that’s for sure, but then you always wanted to climb to the top, and had to beat a woman into loving you, cause there’s no way that with a personality like yours she would do it for willingly." Phil had a smirk on his face as he saw the vein in Daemon's forehead start to throb as he was getting wound up.

Daemon walked across and whacked Phil to the side of the head with the butt of his gun, Phil's head swiped to the side and all he saw were stars. Daemon

was just about to get a second swipe across Phil’s head, but a hand shot out and caught Daemon's wrist, the look on Daemon's face was pure shock and he saw the determined look on Phil's face. Phil was furious, the blood trickled down the side of his face and the surprised gasp could be heard across the room as May tried to stifle a cry but failed as she watched the scene before her.

Daemon then realized that only one hand had broken free then he head-butted Phil, knocking him back and smashing his head against the back of the chair. Phil had some idea what was coming, but with one hand tied he could not have prepared for the full impact, he was desperately trying to unlock the other hinge, but Daemon pointed a gun at May and shot her straight in the thigh, "Hey love, does that not feel familiar? Sorry, I would have done it in the back but you were facing me and if Phil tries one more smart ass trick then I will make sure that it’s between the eyes." May didn’t move an inch as two six-foot burly men grabbed hold of her arms and hoisted her in the air. May’s blood was trickling down her leg and the man to her left pressed a finger onto her wound, causing her to grimace in pain, but she would not cry aloud, they would need to do more then that to get Melinda May to cry out.

Phil immediately stopped struggling, even though the last of the screws was a couple of centimetres away from becoming free.

“I think it’s time we went and got married, my dear, and who better then to witness this great event then Phil Coulson himself. Maybe he could give you away?” The hinge was ripped out and Phil was placed in cuffs before he could utter a syllable and he was now back to square one, in finding an escape plan. What Phil didn’t know was a tracker had been put in his suit and the team were on their way but could they stop the wedding, that is question.

They were now walking down a bank towards what, in May’s mind, resembled an alter. May was limping and was placed on her tiptoes so she couldn’t strike out with her feet. Every time she delayed or twitched a taser was thrust into her wound and a high volt charge racked her body and made her even weaker. Phil had a gun pointed to the back of his head and as much as he would’ve liked to think he was like the black widow or May, he wasn’t, he wished he possessed the skills they did and followed till he could make sure May would be safe. He had taken the screw from one of the cuffs and was using it as a pick to undo the cuffs without anyone knowing.

They approached the alter and came to a stand still in front of a druid priest, dressed in white, money changed hands between Daemon and the priest to ensure marriage remained a secret to anyone who was not meant to know.

They turned, Phil stood there, colour draining from his face with a gun pointed at him as he looked at May, she hung there limp, between the two burly bruisers either side of her, there was nothing at present he could do to stop this, and he heard the words which turned his blood to ice.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today..."


	12. Chapter 12 - Rectifying a huge mistake and ending the past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will they get here in time and will Coulson be able to do what he didnt get to do all those years before ?

As the priest continued not a sound could be heard in the mountain tops, not even the animals were uttering a word as they felt the despair gripping the forest like a handheld glove. May just stood their as she saw the henchman with the gun pointed at Phil, she knew that if she made a single movement a hole that not even fury could fix would be in Phil's head.  

 

Her heart was going at a thousand miles a minute and Daemon was enjoying this like all his birthdays had come at once, he was watching Phil's heart break and the formidable Melinda May could do nothing other then utter the words he longed to hear once more. He would have her under his control , Phil would eventually die and he would get his reward. 

 

"Daemon, do you take this woman to be your wife to have..." 

 

"Hey my good man, can we please cut this short and get to the most important parts... yes I take Melinda May to be my wife or should I say my reward, either way I get her so I am not bothered which." Daemon laughed at his own joke and his henchman did more out of a fear to die rather than actually finding this guy funny.  

 

"Melinda you have one minute to say I do and if you haven't said it by the time the beeper goes off, you can watch your precious Phil die."   

"Do you Melinda May take Daemon to be your husband...." 

 

He didn’t even get a chance to finish the sentence as a red light centered on the priests forehead and heart making the priest mute in seconds and Daemon to look around to follow the beam to its original owner. Out walked Jemma and Fitz, Fitz had Huey, Duey and Louie to start flying through air emitting electric voltage and Jemma was pointing a gun square at the priests heart, 

 

"I would like to say that we object to this wedding with valid reasons that the groom is a walking, talking psychopathic maniac who doesn’t and has not ever deserved Melinda May in any fashion, unless she is putting her fist in his face." Phil was smirking he could not help it, he knew that things were precariously balanced and whoever made the first  move could tip their cards and lose the game but for Phil and May this was hard as they could do nothing but rely on what they had taught the kids, praying that it was enough. 

 

"You really think you can stop me little girl, what's he going to do light me to death?... excuse me priest please carry on and ignore those two. I am paying you remember?" 

 

" You have real issues don’t you. you had to mess with her mind the first time to get her to marry you and this time round you have to hold people at gun point and bribe a priest. Are you seriously so dumb and ugly that you have to pay women to marry you." Phil knew he was antagonizing him but if this helped take the light away from the others then give him the bullet now. 

 

"Priest talk...." Daemon was now getting stressed as things were spiraling out of his control and he knew that May only needed that small window and she would kick his ass and hand it to him on a plate. His main problem was the second shooter, he had no idea where he was but he gestured to a henchman to go on the search, a silent message of, 'do what ever is necessary' communicated between the two men. 

 

"Not that I condone violence at all, in fact I am a scientist but if you so much as utter another syllable I will put a bullet in you ensuring your silence or screams of pain. I am a scientist so I can ensure that it is maximum pain but will not end your life." This was a whole heap of rubbish, yes Jemma was a scientist but there was no way in hell she knew where to shoot someone to ensure they lived but if she had to the padre over there was  getting a bullet in the knee cap no worries. 

 

Fitz had been silently moving his trio around the vicinity ensuring no one was aware that Louie was hovering with a sig in a magnetic field towards May and hopefully ensuring freedom of all involved. Daemon was getting touchy and very nervous beginning to look around faster and faster as time goes on, he looked towards the henchman praying that they do not know. He then saw Louie whizzing towards may but not before he whirled around with a gun pointing at her temple, the entire world came to a stand still focusing on Daemon and May. 

 

"Now since boy wonder wants to try and brave it out , the ceremony will go like this …" 

 

Before anyone knew what had hit them Fitz dropped to his knee as a bullet shattered his knee cap, Jemma went to move,  

"Stay where you are !!!" Fitz was in a lot pain they could tell as his Scottish accent was becoming more pronounced using his energy to stay conscious. 

 

"Now should any one else feel like taking a..." 

 

He never had chance to finish the sentence before he recoiled back blood pouring from his shoulder. In the second that it took for this to happen May dropped to the ground like lightening and picked up the sig on the floor, she whipped around and pointed it at Daemon. He had raised his intending to fire at Phil but before either had a chance to react a bullet tore between his eyes and he dropped to the ground face down in the dirt and uttering nothing more.   

 

May had taken a protective stance, the henchmen knew that the game was up for them and they were already down on their knees with their hands behind their heads, Fitz had the three stooges watching them ready to emit a charge at any time. He looked pasty and weak but still lucid with Phil's tie around his leg trying to stench the bleeding. 

 

A rustle of the leaves alerted them to someone else's presence, Phil and May had guns raised at the point of the sound but they had nothing to fear as dressed all in black holding a sniper rifle was Skye. The little hacker had grown into a woman and right now May could not have been prouder then what she was now. 

 

"Hey AC, is that a way to treat your life saver?" She was shaky they could tell as no amount of training or practice could drowned the fact that you had just taken someone's life. May pulled her into a hug and removed the gun from her hand, Phil could do nothing but watch on.  

"Excuse me if no one is getting married today, please may I go." The priest looked like he was going to faint at any moment.  

"Eh not just yet...." Phil started and turned to look at May. 

 

"Look I lost you many years ago and for the love of everything that is right with the world I do not want to lose you again. Will you help me rectify a brutal mistake and mend a broken heart by making me the happiest man on the earth." His hand was held out waiting for May's answer ...  

  

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to my good friend MarySavarese for the prompt and SammyAnne24 for betaing - #TeamPhilinda is amazing and proud to be a part x


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